Make Holographic Stickers with Cricut | A Beginners Guide
If you’ve ever wanted to make holographic stickers with your Cricut but felt overwhelmed by all the materials, settings, and shiny-reflection problems… this guide is exactly what you need. Today we’re using Koala Brand Holographic Sticker Paper, and I’ll walk you through every step: from uploading your free PNGs (find out more about these below) to cutting your first hologram-ready sticker sheet.
This beginner-friendly tutorial works with any Cricut cutting machine except the original Joy. You can use these holographic stickers for water bottle decals, planners, gifts, party favors, and more. The iridescent finish gives your artwork a rainbow effect in the light, and even simple graphics look like a kaleidoscope of colors once printed and cut.
What You Need to Make Koala Holographic Stickers
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- Koala Holographic Sticker Paper
- Cricut Explore, Maker, or Maker 3 cutting machine
- Standard printer (inkjet) – I am using an Epson Ecotank 2400
- Cricut mat
- Your sticker design
- A computer or tablet with Cricut Design Space
- Optional: white crayon (yes… this really helps with sensor reading!)
The Koala paper has a gorgeous holographic background (and they have multiple options in terms of the look) that becomes part of your artwork. It gives a rainbow-like effect on edges, negative space, and any transparent areas of the PNG. That’s what creates those stunning holographic images without needing any laminate or additional holographic film.
Want to learn how to make stickers without Cricut Access? Find out more here.
How Holographic Sticker Paper Works (and What to Expect)
Holographic materials behave differently from plain adhesive paper. Because Koala’s sheet is a holographic label paper, the base color of the holographic plastic shines through any transparent areas or light color builds. This means:
- White will not print: it becomes holographic. The only exception here is if you have a white toner printer and in that case, you most likely wouldn’t get that shine through the ink.
- Pale lighter colors take on a slight holographic shimmer.
- Areas with yellow inks may shift depending on the raw holographic material.
- Darker colors print more true-to-color and make your designs pop.
This is totally normal and part of the charm of holographic sticker paper. It gives your design a premium look without needing a laminate, and it adds that chrome look or iridescent finish that so many crafters love.
Holographic Sticker Paper vs. Vinyl + Laminate
There are two popular ways to make holographic stickers:
1. Printable Holographic Sticker Paper (like Koala)
- One print job
- One cut
- Fast production time
- Not waterproof (unless you laminate before cutting) or have waterproof ink in your printer.
2. Printable Vinyl + Holographic Laminate
- Print on vinyl
- Apply laminate
- Cut through both layers
- Mostly waterproof and extremely durable
For most hobby crafters, printable holographic sticker paper is the easiest because it removes the struggle of applying laminate without bubbles. If you’re a DIY enthusiast using your Cricut for planners, gifts, or personal use, sticker paper is perfect.
If you need durable material for bumper stickers or outdoor use, then vinyl + laminate is the stronger option.
Uploading Your Designs in Design Space
Open Cricut Design Space and click Upload → Upload Image. Bring in your PNG files, remove any background if there is one, and save each as a Print Then Cut image.
Once on your canvas:
- Resize each sticker design to 2–3 inches
- Keep simple graphics grouped (no internal cuts)
- Add an offset if you want a border
A white offset creates a clean border that enhances the hologram effect and adds a little negative space around colorful art.
After sizing, flatten each layer. Flattening merges the artwork layer into a single printable sticker sheet so Cricut won’t try to cut internal lines.
Should You Use Bleed?
Yes (in my opinion), Cricut’s bleed option is helpful on these holographic stickers because it softens the edge and compensates for slight shifts in the print job if you didn’t add any offset boarder. This ensures proper bleeds and prevents unintended gray area lines along the cut.
I always keep bleed on unless every sticker has a strong white border.
Printing Your Sticker Sheet
Click Make It → Continue → Send to Printer.
Use these settings:
- Keep bleed ON
- Use System Dialog
- Set print quality to HIGH
Because the holographic paper reflects light, using a higher-quality setting darkens the design prints just enough to contrast the hologram background and keep your colors crisp.
Cutting with Your Cricut
Place the printed sheet on your Cricut mat.
Search for Holographic in Materials. Cricut has a setting for Printable Holographic White Sticker which works surprisingly well for Koala paper since the thickness is similar.
If you want your stickers to peel easily:
- Choose Default pressure
- Cut once and check before removing from the machine
- If they aren’t cut, do not hit the arrows to eject; instead, hit the cut button again.
The Koala paper is thin but sturdy, so it cuts cleanly without tearing the adhesive paper.
When Cricut CAN’T Read the Registration Marks
Holographic materials sometimes confuse the Cricut sensor because the machine’s optical eye has trouble with reflective glare and bright optical images bouncing from the surface.
If your Cricut doesn’t read the marks:
Use this magic trick:
Color over the black registration box with a white crayon.
This reduces glare and gives the machine a more matte surface to scan.
Other tips if needed:
- Turn off overhead lights
- Avoid direct sunlight
- Add matte tape over the black border
This solves 99% of holographic sensor issues.
Time to Peel and Reveal!
Once your sheet has been cut, peel one sticker gently from the mat. You’ll notice:
- Thin feel
- Smooth adhesive paper backing
- Stunning rainbow reflection as you tilt it
Even minimal holographic effects create bold, eye-catching design features when placed on a laptop, journal, or water bottle.
Free Holographic Sticker Images
Inside my Community Vault, you’ll find 10 free holo-ready Christmas PNG files perfect for Cricut Print Then Cut. These custom holographic stickers include characters, icons, and holiday images that work beautifully on Koala’s paper.
They include:
- Strong outlines
- Solid colors for maximum contrast
- Negative space where the hologram becomes part of your design
Inside my Community Vault, you can download my free Christmas PNGs (Design Number #206).
To get the password you will need to sign up for my newsletter below.
Please keep in mind it may take a few minutes to receive the welcome letter – please check spam or junk for it as well! The instructions for download can be found here for desktop and here for iPad/iPhone.
Tips for Best Results
Here are some ways to get vivid results with your Cricut and Koala paper:
✔ Use bold colors
Darker colors contrast better against the chrome look of the holographic product.
✔ Avoid large gray color builds
Gray can appear slightly transparent on holographic film.
✔ Keep shapes simple
Custom shapes and custom die-cut edges are gorgeous, but avoid intricate details smaller than 0.1″.
✔ Leave intentional transparent areas
These areas of your holographic stickers allow the rainbow effect to shine through.
✔ Great for planners + water bottle décor
Holographic labels look beautiful on smooth surfaces.
How Long Do Holographic Stickers Last?
Because we’re printing with an inkjet and not adding a matte lamination layer, these stickers are:
- Water-resistant – but remember we are just using our inkject printers so don’t go dunking these or dishwashing.
- Not waterproof
- Long-lasting indoors
- Perfect for planner pages, journals, gifts, laptops, and crafting
If you want outdoor durability (like for bumper stickers), use printable vinyl + laminate instead for a durable vinyl finish.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve wanted to make holographic stickers but felt nervous about the materials or Cricut settings, Koala’s sticker paper is a fantastic way to start. It’s beginner-friendly, budget-friendly, and gives you dozens of holographic colors and patterns to play with.
With just a little practice and a bit of creativity, you can turn simple designs into stunning custom hologram labels that shimmer with every movement. The hologram look, the vibrant shine, and the easy Print Then Cut workflow make this one of the most rewarding projects in the DIY craft world.
Don’t forget to download your free templates, try the white crayon trick, and explore how different colors behave on this iridescent material. It’s such a versatile way to experiment and create something truly magical.
Stay crafty, and tag me @DinosaurMamaSVG if you try this tutorial. I LOVE seeing your projects!
